Everlasting
by love4music55
Summary: No matter who you are, there's always a price to pay when the Hunger Games are involved. The untold love story of Finnick and Annie.


So, I finished reading the first two books of The Hunger Games and I had just watched the first movie, and I was inspired to write this random oneshot/story for Finnick and Annie. I haven't really read much about them at all since the second book doesn't go into much depth about their relationship, but as I read what little Collins put in the second one, this idea just suddenly popped into my head and I just had to get it down. It's just my take on the two and their relationship, and I thought that I might as well share it with you readers! I'll admit, this one's a bit long, so for some of you it may be tedious to read, but just bear through it. Hopefully it's entertaining enough to keep you from boredom!

I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games nor do I own the characters, including Finnick, Annie, and Mags.

p.s. What I'm writing isn't what _actually _happens between the two or anything. Just for my amusement and your entertainment!

* * *

_Everlasting_

She was a diamond in the ruff.

No.

Scratch that.

She was more than just a diamond. She was the brightest star in the black, night sky. She was the voice that guided you through the darkness. She was everything that Finnick Odair could have imagined as perfect.

Annie Cresta was 15 when her name had been called for the 70th Hunger Game. She was a strong hearted girl, and she knew there was nothing she could do but face her fears. She marched up to the stage with the utmost grace and held her head up high as she stared out at her peers. They stared back at her, no one saying a word.

It was at that moment Finnick had fallen in love.

He had been 22 years old at the time of the reaping. He at first didn't expect much from the young girl as she made her way up to the stage, but it was the look in her eyes that caught him off guard. As he watched her accept her fate, which would most likely be death, he couldn't help but notice the determined look she had on, as if she was confident in herself.

That had been a first for any tribute.

The boy that had been picked as tribute was an old acquaintance of Annie's. They had known each other since they were kids, though they were never really on talking terms. It didn't matter though, no matter how close you were to the other tribute, it was always hard knowing that only one of you could come out as the victor.

Once their names had been called, they had immediately been shipped off to the Capitol, only given a few minutes to talk to their loved ones. After that, it was on to the train and off to prepare for what could be the end of their life.

"You look nervous."

Annie jumped as she looked over her shoulder. She relaxed as she smiled at one of the people that would help her stay alive in the game of death. "Is it that obvious?" she asked as the handsome, young man approached her side, shaking his head.

"You do a pretty good job of hiding it all," he said as the female tribute nodded.

They stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Finnick began to casually examine the girl's features. She had dark black hair that gave off a blue tint in the lighting. Her piercing green eyes were something that caught his attention. There was always a shine to them, a shine of hope maybe. The mentor wasn't quite sure what it was. All he knew was that he was entranced by them. She was toned, which was good because anyone who participated in the games would have to be fit enough to at least run and hide.

"…How'd you do it?" Finnick blinked before he raised his perfectly shaped brow.

"What?"

"How'd you win?" the dark haired girl inquired curiously as the scenery of the forest outside passed them by. It went unnoticed as the young man chuckled to himself and shook his head.

"To be honest, I got lucky."

"Luck matters in the games?" Annie asked, astonished by such an idea. Finnick nodded his head as he sighed.

"Everything matters."

Annie stared at the taller man before she smiled slightly. "You're different."

"Wh-What?" Finnick stumbled upon his words as his soon-to-be-student giggled at his behavior.

"I just mean you're different from the person you are when you're in front of a crowd."

The 64th winner of the Hunger Games stayed silent as he stared out the window. He forced a smile across his lips as he looked over at the tribute. "It's easier when you separate the person you are from the person you have to be."

That confused Annie. "What do you mean?"

"I-" The door slid open to the train car, surprising the two standing by the window. Annie smiled as her male counterpart walked into the room. He smiled back at her as he approached her side, looking over at his mentor.

"Sorry, was I interrupting?"

"Not at all," Finnick said with a smile.

He'd ignore the voice in the back of his head yelling, "yes."

Before the train arrived to the Capitol, Finnick and the other mentor-who was a close friend to the young man-gave the two as much advice as they could about the entire experience. The idea of getting as many sponsors as possible came up first. In order to get by with medicine and some last minute materials, sponsors would definitely come in handy. Then they were told to make sure to read their opponents.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Then, the hardest part of the discussion came up.

"It's up to you. If you two would rather just fight separately and try and stay alive alone, then do that, but if not, then fight as a team. It's better to have someone than no one," the older mentor said as she did her best to keep the trembling to a minimum. With her old age, it was getting harder and harder to teach and guide the younger tributes; the task was tedious.

The two tributes of District 4 looked at each other as contemplative expressions came over them. Annie was first to excuse herself, saying she needed some time to herself before the train's arrival to the Capitol. Soon, District 4's other tribute did the same, shuffling out of the room, leaving the two mentors.

Finnick stared at the exit for a second as the thoughtful expression Annie had appeared in his mind for a fraction of a second. He sighed and shook his head before the feeling of eyes burning into the side of his head caught his attention. He slowly looked over at Mags as she stared at him with a knowing gaze. He cleared his throat as he grabbed his cup of water.

"What?"

"Don't get attached," the older woman warned as she shakily rose to her feet. Finnick stood up to help her but she swatted his hand away; she wasn't completely useless yet. "Remember, even with our help, one of them, if not both of them, are going to die." Without another look back, the old woman walked out of the room, leaving the tan skinned victor to himself.

The young man sighed as he ran his fingers through his bronze colored hair. He grabbed his cup and walked over to the well-decorated refreshment table, pouring himself a cup of the finest alcohol the Capitol could supply. It was the least he deserved after all the trouble President Snow was making him go through.

_Bastard._

* * *

Days had passed since everyone's arrival to the big city. People were thrilled for the tributes to finally make their appearance, as well as the past victors of the games.

As soon as the tributes arrived, people were quick to make their moves. Districts 1 and 2 immediately sought the other out, the obvious alliance forming between the four tributes. As expected, the four tributes approached Finnick and Mags' tributes, wanting to form some sort of alliance or truce with the two. Those 3 districts usually stuck well together.

That's how Finnick had been able to get by in his game.

The two had expected the tributes to join with ease, but they had been surprised to hear what had actually happened.

"You said no?" Finnick blinked as Annie shrugged, Marco nodding his head with a smirk.

"She was sure loud about it too. I'm sure she made a big impression to everyone."

"What happened?" Mags inquired curiously as the young girl beside her took a bite of her dinner.

"It wasn't anything to brag about, really."

"Sure it was!" the male District 4 tribute stated with a grin.

"So then, what happened?" Finnick asked as he glanced over at the girl across the glass table.

"While we were training, the tributes from District 1 and 2 came up to us and offered a truce if we joined their alliance."

"I said we weren't interested," Annie stated evenly as she took a sip of her water. She glanced over at her mentors, who blinked, surprised by her actions.

"Why weren't you?" the old woman asked as Annie stared at her plate for a minute.

"I guess a part of me just felt like it was unfair. It's not like me and Marco aren't fit enough to fend for ourselves," the dark haired girl stated as she looked at Finnick. "I wouldn't feel right taking an alliance when there are people who are only 12 participating without anyone to help them."

Mr. Odair stared at the young girl with wide eyes as her green eyes bore into his sea green ones. Her face had a confident gaze, but her eyes were begging for approval, hoping she hadn't made a mistake by denying the offer the Careers made with them. The last thing she wanted to be was responsible for Marco's and her own death.

Finnick stared at the girl for a long moment before a smirk etched itself on to his lips, causing a relieved smile to appear on Annie's. He stood up from his seat and wiped his mouth with the napkin, walking around the table and placing his hand on the top of the young tribute's head. "Nice work."

Annie turned and watched with a smile as the man walked out of the room without looking back. She stared for a few seconds longer before she nodded to herself, satisfied with her own call. She looked over at Marco as her eyes softened. "Was that really ok with you? If you want-"

"You're my teammate. Not them." The boy smiled at his tribute counterpart as she smiled back and nodded.

* * *

She had panicked.

Everything had been going too smoothly for Annie. Her meltdown was something she could have predicted.

It was the night before the interview with Caesar Flickerman. Mags had been preparing her for that interview, telling her how exactly she should present herself and how she should answer the questions without coming off as too aggressive. She had even prepared a few practice questions to use on her, and it had all been just fine.

It wasn't until the last question Annie broke down.

"How did your family take your name being pulled out?"

Annie hadn't thought much about her family since she had left for the games; it was easier to cope with everything going on. She knew that if she thought too much about her loved ones at home that she would probably never get to see again, she'd only distract herself and then she'd have no chance of surviving. She had to at least try to win.

The 15 year old pulled herself together enough to answer the question, but the minute her session with Mags had ended, she bolted from the room without a second glance back. She took shallow breaths as she took long strides to her room. The door slid open, allowing the girl to take shelter in it. She quickly sat down on her bed and stared at the marble floor, her hands trembling. She closed her eyes and counted to ten in her head, but as she did so, the faces of her family and friends appeared with each number.

"Stop!" she yelled at herself as her eyes snapped open and she stood up. She paced back and forth, trying to push the thoughts about her loved ones away.

She had to forget. She had to pretend that she had no one because if she didn't, it would only make it that much harder for her to go into the games. She knew her chances of actually surviving the Hunger Games were slim to none, and if she continued to think about her family it would only make her want to run, but she couldn't run. She had no where to go without the Capitol finding out and executing her for it. And then what? Her family would suffer because of her selfishness and Marco would be without a partner to look out for him.

"I'm so scared."

"It's ok to be scared."

Annie's eyes darted upward as she stared at Finnick, who gave her a comforting smile. She blinked, surprised that she hadn't noticed the door to her room open. The young man sighed as he took a seat beside her without a word. They sat in silence, neither wanting to break it.

The mentor stared at his student with soft eyes for a moment before he spoke. "The night before I had to go into the game, I thought about trying to run away."

Annie looked up with wide eyes as she watched her teacher tell his story.

"But then I realized that it would just be suicide…and even though I was being thrown into a place where death was the only logical option, I still didn't want to die. So, I didn't run. I went and fought."

"What's the point?" Annie asked quietly as the man looked over at her. "There are going to be 24 people killing each other out there. There's no way that I can possibly make it out alive."

"You don't believe that," the man stated with a smirk as he stared out at the black mahogany table sitting by the door. "You and I both know you don't believe that."

"How do you know that?" Annie snapped, growing frustrated with the conversation. "How can you say that? You don't know the first thing about me!"

"You're right about that. I don't know much about you," Finnick stated with a chuckle. "But I do know this," he said as he turned to the tribute. "You're going to go into the game and fight. And you're going to survive."

"How can you be so sure?" Annie asked, her voice quaking and only at the volume of a mere whisper. Finnick's smirk widened as he leaned in closer, his lips just grazing the girl's ear.

"It's the gleam in your eyes."

Annie's eyes widened as Finnick pulled away, smiling gently at her. Her frown shifted into a smile as she wiped her eyes, not letting a single tear escape. She sighed as she thought to herself for a moment. She glanced over at her mentor before smiling. "Thank you."

The young man nodded as he stood to his feet. He gently laid the girl down, covering her with the silk blanket. His smile widened as he brushed a piece of her jet black hair out of her eyes. "Here's a piece of advice, from me to you." Annie nodded as she waited patiently for the lively man to say something.

"Don't let this change who you are you." Annie's eyes softened as stared into a pair of sea green eyes. Finnick's smile disappeared as a solemn expression fell over him. "Out of all the things I regret, I regret that the most."

His eyes closed as he let himself wallow in a bit of pity for a moment. They snapped open as he felt a soft hand reach up and cup his right cheek. He relaxed as he stared down at a smiling girl, her thumb caressing his cheek gently. He smiled a bit, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach appearing. He leaned into her hand as he took a deep breath.

"As my mentor…always be yourself. I like this Finnick better than the man I see on the screen." Finnick's eyes softened as he nodded. The female sacrifice nodded back as she let her hand fall to her side. She released a deep breath as she let her eyes close.

"…You'll stay with me until I fall asleep?" Not expecting the request, the 64th victor blinked before he softly laughed and nodded.

"Sure thing."

* * *

He was a bit nervous. Actually, that was an understatement. Finnick was _extremely _anxious. He had barely seen either of the District 4 tributes due to the fact that they had been preparing for their interview with Caesar. They had to prepare their appearances, and that took so much time; Odair would know.

"Boy, sit down. Don't waste your energy like that," Mags said exasperatedly as the fit young man sighed, nodding and taking a seat. He took a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling, his foot tapping rapidly against the floor.

"Didn't I tell you not to get attached?" Finnick looked over at the 75 year old woman as she gave him a knowing look. He sighed and shook his head as he shrugged.

"I don't know what happened."

"I can tell you exactly what happened." Mags stated with a low chuckle. Before the rather good-looking mentor could question his companion, the door down the hall opened, all of the tributes from each district waltzing in. The trident-wielder kept his eyes open for his two students. His eyes widened as they fell upon the transformed tributes.

Marco sported a blazer that had diamond studs on the shoulders. The color shifted evenly from white to a dark blue, a black shirt being worn underneath it all. His slacks picked up from the dark blue, smoothly transitioning back to the white. His white shoes shined like the waves of the water would in the sun. Needless to say, Finnick and Mags were impressed. His light hair was slicked back in a business like manner, and his face had been given a bit of toner so he had a bit more color.

"You clean up nicely," Finnick said playfully to the eighteen year old as he gave the boy a firm pat on the back. Marco chuckled before he nodded a thanks, standing beside Mags, who fixed the collar of his black shirt. She came to a sudden halt as she stared out, Marco following the woman's gaze. He smiled as he stuffed his hands into his pocket.

"…What do you think?"

Finnick had been lost for words. He could feel his entire being shift as he stared at the young lady standing before him. He had to force himself not to let his jaw fall open as he cleared his throat.

Annie's black hair had been put into loose curls, hanging just at the base of her shoulder blades. Her stylist applied foundation that contained glitter, making her eyes shine and stand out of a crowd. She had a bit of mascara on-which made Annie's eyes water at first-with glimmering blue eye shadow. Her dress had a sweetheart neckline with blue diamonds that went all along the top. The top started with a light, sky blue color and gradually grew darker as the mentor's eyes ran down the dress. It fit her form perfectly, not too tightly, but tight enough to accentuate her curves. Her shoes were a silver that shined in the light and complimented her entire look. Luckily for Annie, she had taught herself to walk in heels in a mere ten minutes, though it was a tough ten minutes.

"You look beautiful, dear," Mags complimented with a sweet smile. She opened her arms as Annie bent over slightly, wrapping her arms around the old woman.

"Thank you." She stood tall and turned to Finnick. She chuckled as she glanced up, still not tall enough to meet him eye to eye.

"Finnick?"

He wasn't sure what to say. Everything that ran through his mind was clearly too inappropriate to say to his student. He was ashamed of himself for thinking the things he had, but he couldn't help himself. His heart kept repeating everything over and over again.

"You look amazing," he whispered. Annie smiled softly as she stared up into the 22 year old's eyes. She locked her hands behind her back as she batted her eyelashes playfully.

"You're making me blush!"

Finnick laughed as he shook his head.

"Alright. This is where you make your last impression. You guys have already gotten strong ratings on your abilities, now you have to get the crowd to love you," Finnick stated as the two nodded. "Just remember what we talked about."

He stared straight at Annie. He was no longer talking about the advice given during their sessions. He was talking about the night before in her room. He was talking about what they had spoken about off the record. The one thing that ended up getting Annie through it all.

She gave the man and Mags a nod before she looked over at Marco. She held her hand out to the young man before he smiled back at her and held it in his own. "Break a leg."

Mags and Finnick sat in their rightful places in the crowd. Neither spoke as they watched the first three districts go. They had driven the crowd crazy, each showing different aspects of themselves, or the person they would pretend to be in order to get support. It wasn't until Annie stepped on to the stage that the two mentors glanced at each other. They nodded to each other before they turned their full attention to the young woman on the stage.

"So, Annie! Tell us, what was your reaction when your name was called out?" Caesar Flickerman asked as he leaned in close, watching Annie stare at the floor for a second. She looked out to the crowd, her eyes searching for something. She felt the adrenaline pumping through her veins, and she felt as if her throat had swelled. She closed her eyes and took a quiet, deep breath. She looked out to the crowd once more, squinting through the lights. The people waiting anxiously for her response, but she was only looking for one thing.

Finnick squeezed tightly to the arm of his chair as he watched the dark haired tribute, her expression twisting slightly. His eyes widened as she spotted him in the crowd, a hopeful smile appearing across his lips. He nodded encouragingly as he gave her a thumbs up.

It gave her just enough courage.

"…Well…I was definitely surprised," she said playfully as Caesar and the crowd laughed.

"As anyone would be! Now, do you think you're well prepared for the events that are to come in the arena?" the spokesman asked curiously as Annie bit the inside of her cheek. She looked back at Finnick as he nodded, his bluish green eyes urging her to move forward.

_Don't let this change who you are you._

"I honestly can't say for sure that I am. But I've been working hard, and I know that I have the ability to make it far. No matter what, I plan on going home." Annie smiled confidently out to the crowd as the sea of people cheered loudly, some screaming her name. Caesar gave the tribute a reassuring smile as he nodded.

"Your determination is something that should be admired by everyone, isn't that right?" he called out to the crowd, everyone screaming their agreements.

"Now, this one is just for you. Is there anything you'd like to say? To anyone out there?"

Annie hadn't been expecting that. She was completely thrown off by the question. She blinked before she thought for a second. A soft smile appeared across her lips as she nodded her head. "There is something I'd like to say."

"Please," Flickerman encouraged.

"…To those who have ever participated in the Hunger Games and have survived…and even to those who haven't ever but only watched…" Annie smiled as she nodded. "Don't ever forget who you are and what your purpose is."

Finnick's eyes widened as sat at the edge of his seat. He watched the girl intently as she continued to smile thoughtfully at the crowd. He had been moved completely. As he watched the female tribute from his District stand tall, he couldn't help but feel envious of her bravery. What she was saying could surely be seen as a statement of revolt, and Annie must've known that too. And yet there she was, head held high with a solid smile on her face.

She was truly something else.

"Such a powerful thing to say. And I know that we all will keep that to heart as you battle out in the field. Ladies and Gentlemen, Annie Cresta!" Caesar held said tribute's hand tightly as she smiled and released her held breath, the weight on her shoulders lifting.

If she was going to die in the games, the least she could do was give her family and friends a word of advice, the same words of advice that had gotten her through the day.

* * *

The night was stiff. Everyone knew that in the morning, the peace would no longer exist, and they would have to fight till only one person stood. Minds were racing, hearts were beating, lives were dwindling away.

A lone girl sat by the window in her room as she watched the citizens of the Capitol celebrating for what would be the end for another. She frowned at that but shook her head; the last thing Annie needed to do was linger on that thought. She glanced over her shoulder as a knock caught her attention. She slowly stood up and watched as the door slid open, Finnick standing in the entry way.

"You have a minute?" he asked, though he walked in anyways. Annie chuckled as she nodded, the two meeting at the bedside. They sat down in silence, neither looking the other in the eyes. Annie had been sure of it; she had never heard silence quite that loud in her entire life.

"You can do this." Finnick finally looked up as he smiled at the girl with a confident one. He nodded as he stared at Annie. His smile faded as Annie stared down at her hands. She cleared her throat as she faked a smile and nodded.

"Thanks-"

"No." Finnick shook his head as he stared at the girl, his brows furrowing inward. "If you're going to agree with me, then I need you to really believe that you're going to make it."

"I-"

"If you _really _meant what you had said in your interview, then I need you to tell me you know." The bronze haired victor stared deeply into Annie's green eyes as she clenched her jaw shut. She closed her eyes and took a few seconds to calm down. She took a deep breath and nodded as she looked back up at her mentor.

"I will do this."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about," Finnick said with a smirk. The girl smirked back at him as she glanced out the window.

"…Finnick, I have to thank you for everything-"

"If you want to thank me, then come back." Annie's eyes widened as she turned to the 22 year old. She blinked as her eyes softened, the previous winner of the Hunger Games standing and kneeling before her. He held her face in his hands as he smiled, though it was a broken one. "If you really want to thank me, win and come back to me."

Annie had no words to say. She wasn't sure how or when it had happened, but her heart only moved for Finnick. Her eyes only saw him, and her mind only thought of him, just as his did the same. She smiled as tears began to form in her eyes, the pain in her chest causing her to wrap her arms tightly around the man. He closed his eyes and held her tightly, her warm tears tricking down on to his neck.

"I will," the human sacrifice whispered as she nodded. "I'll come back to you."

They stayed in each other's embrace for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of the other. Finally, the older of the two pulled away, smiling to his pupil. He dug into his pocket for a second before he grabbed something and held it out to the girl. Her eyes widened as she stared down at the object in his hands.

"Where-"

"Take this." Finnick opened Annie's hand and placed the small pearl in her palm. "Take it, and when you feel alone or you feel like you can't move any further, hold on to it tightly, and remember who's all waiting at the end."

Annie's tears pooled out of her eyes as she nodded, closing her hand around the bright, white pearl. She closed her eyes and held it close to her chest before she looked up at Finnick. He smiled at her, but it disappeared as his eyes widened. He took a step back as the dark haired girl stood up. She wrapped her arms tightly around her mentor's neck, pulling him close and kissing him.

The young man blinked, surprised at the bold move Annie had made. He relaxed before he wrapped his arms around her waste, pulling her close to his chiseled body. He deepened the kiss as his lips began to move, Annie having no other choice but to follow his lead. Every ounce of emotion either had, had been put into that kiss. They didn't need words to tell each other just how they felt.

The games had been forgotten and worries had disappeared. For that night, it was just the two of them, being in love.

* * *

It had been two days since the game had started. Eyes were glued to the screens as everyone watched the tributes fight for their lives. Already 13 people had been killed, leaving only 11 tributes-which included the Careers and District 4-alive. People were sitting silently, watching and waiting to see who would be taken down next. It was nerve-wracking for all those who watched, especially family members.

Mags and Finnick watched from the large and well furnished room filled with other mentors and sponsors. There hadn't been any need to send their tributes any materials, though if it were necessary, the two would have sponsors waiting patiently to help them. The two seemed to be doing well. They stuck together and fought quite well as a team. It was smart of them to stick together, even if one had to die in the end.

At least it would be by the hand of their own.

The 22 year old was more than nervous. He was trembling from anticipation. He wanted both of his tributes to survive and to somehow miraculously be able to come home, but he knew that to be impossible. If he had to choose who to come home, he knew his answer. He was ashamed, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Annie. His heart called out to her every time she was on the screen, every time she was off screen; there was no stopping it.

The mentor stiffened but relaxed as a hand gave his knee a comforting squeeze. He looked over at his companion and smiled as Mags smiled back at him. "Don't look so worried…Annie wouldn't want that, now would she?"

Finnick chuckled at that as he shook his head. "She probably wouldn't."

After that, neither said anything, because even though they knew Annie and Marco would rather them just forget than spend so much energy worrying, they couldn't help but do exactly that.

The third day had passed no deaths whatsoever.

That was when disaster hit.

"Marco!"

"Go ahead! I'll catch up!"

It had all been happening so quickly. Marco and Annie had taken shelter in the woods, by the river, but they had been discovered by the Careers. The group had been going strong, and they were more than ready to take the two from District 4 on. It was a long chase; Annie and Marco weren't willing to give up that quickly. Seeing as Marco was good with spears and sword fighting, he stayed closer to the back, while Annie stayed ahead.

The two had accomplished to kill one of the Careers, but that only accomplished in angering the group. They moved diligently through the trees, Annie and Marco never slowing down. Everyone watched anxiously as the two ran for their lives. In the back of their minds, they were hoping the two would get away.

"Duck!" Annie yelled. She quickly span around and threw the sharp, yet tiny knife into the air. It hit a line that was connected to a trap the two had set up earlier, just in case they were to ever run into a situation like the one they had been in. The camouflaged tarp fell through, one of the other Careers falling with it. The two ahead didn't take notice, they were too focused on their goal.

The two stopped running as they took a few seconds to catch their breath at the top of the hill. Marco glanced over at the exhausted girl as he glanced at the two Careers. He pulled his pack off and handed it to his companion. Annie blinked as she stared at her partner with confusion. "What are you-"

"Only one of us can win." Marco held tightly to his sword with one hand, the other holding a spear. He didn't look back at Annie, for he knew what kind of expression she was wearing.

"M-Marco, don't-"

"I want it to be you." the boy stated as he looked back at the girl with a smile. "What you said, when you were with Caesar, it really hit me."

"Marco, we can do this together!"

"Out of everyone here, you deserve to win."

"Marco!"

"Go! I'll hold them off, that should give you enough time to get away." The 18 year old shoved the girl away as he nodded. "Go!"

Annie hesitated, but as she watched the Careers run up the hill, she knew that she had no other choice. She hugged her friend tightly as she closed her eyes. "Don't let them get you without a fight."

"Never." Marco smirked as Annie nodded. She held tightly to the pack as she sprinted into the trees. She didn't bother looking back as she ran. Apart of her was too afraid to and the other part knew that if she did she'd only want to go back and help her friend.

Friend.

The black haired girl stopped, her ponytail slowly falling apart. Strands of hair began to fall into her face as she slowly looked back. She stared, the distance she had put between herself and Marco large. She bit her lip and shook her head.

Running was exactly what she didn't want to do.

_Don't ever forget who you are._

Her green eyes began to shine as she began to sprint back in the direction she had come from. She held tightly to the sai in her hand, her grip on the hilt turning her knuckles white. As she approached the hill top, she slowly came to a stop. Her eyes widened as she quickly pinned herself against a thick tree trunk. She peeked out from around the corner and watched as Marco struggled under the foot of one of the Careers. His arms were pinned down, his sword and spear strewn away somewhere.

_Marco…_ Annie grimaced as she watched the other Career stand over the District 4 tribute. He stared down at him with a stoic look on his face before he shook his head. He raised his sword up above his head, though Marco's fearless expression never vanished.

"You should have joined us." Without a moment of hesitation, the Career pulled his sword down, removing Marco's head from his body.

Annie watched, horrified by the scene. She covered her mouth as she used the tree to support her because if she hadn't, she would have surely fallen to her knees. She watched as Marco's head rolled down the hill, a cannon firing bursting through her ear drums. She jumped and hid completely behind the tree trunk. She closed her eyes and cried silently.

"What about the girl?" Annie listened carefully as the Careers began to make their way down the hill.

"We'll worry about her later. For now, lets go grab Burke and make sure he's alright."

Annie watched as the tributes of District 1 disappeared down the hill. She waited for another half hour before she moved from her spot behind the tree. She choked on a sob as she weakly made her way to Marco's decapitated body. She fell to her knees as she covered her mouth, loudly crying at her loss. She shook her head as she set her bags down, letting her guard down for only a second. She stood to her feet and made her way down the hill, grabbing what belonged to her friend. She held her breath and closed her eyes, holding Marco's head as far from her body as she could.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as she gently placed her male counterpart's head where it should have been. She stared down at him for a moment before she sobbed more. She shook her head and fell on to her butt. She grabbed a chunk full of hair and cried to herself, feeling more alone than ever.

"…Why?" she muttered after she wiped a fresh set of tears away. She looked up a the sky, directing her anger at no one in particular. "WHY!" she screamed.

Those who had watched the scene couldn't help but feel sympathetic to Annie. Some even cried along with her as she mourned over the loss of her teammate and friend. It was heart breaking to see someone you had been rooting for fall or lose someone close to them. The only difference between the viewers and Annie was, next year they'd get someone else to fill that void; she didn't.

Annie roamed aimlessly around the forest for a day. She mumbled incoherent phrases under her breath, letting the two packs drag against the forest floor. She was lucky she hadn't run into any trouble, because had she run into anyone there would have been no way she could have defended herself.

She finally came across a cave and settled there for the time being. She ate nothing, set no traps to protect herself, and she didn't shield herself from the cold of night. She was completely lost in her own mind. It wasn't until she had almost died from dehydration that she finally realized she had to keep going.

A pack drifted toward the small cave, though Annie didn't notice. She sat at the mouth of the cave, trembling as she held her knees close to her, resting her chin on her kneecaps. She slowly glanced to the clearing as she watched a circular pack land softly in the grass. She blinked a few times before she began to weakly crawl toward the silver case. She gently grabbed, examining it for a second before she slowly opened it. She blinked a few times as she opened the canister of soup. She stared blankly at it before a small slip of paper caught her attention. She read it before her green eyes widened.

_Don't forget your promise._

Tears began to form in her eyes as she slowly crawled back to her makeshift home, setting the canister down. She sat down and stared at the opposite wall. She then slowly dug into her pocket, pulling a small jewel from it. She closed her eyes and kissed it as she cried softly to herself.

_Take it, and when you feel alone or you feel like you can't move any further, hold on to it tightly, and remember who's all waiting at the end._

"Finnick." she whispered as she smiled, his smiling face slowly bringing her back to reality. She turned to the canister and weakly opened it, using the spoon that had come with the meal to feed herself. She blinked away her tears and fed herself until she was full. Taking a few minutes to let her stomach settle down, the black haired tribute stood to her feet, slowly stumbling her way to the cave with her bag packed and ready to go. She stared up at the sky and nodded, though the voices in her head screamed for her to give up and die.

She wouldn't.

_Thank God. _Finnick sighed as he relaxed, watching as his only surviving tribute began to make her way to what he'd assume would be a source of water.

Annie did just that. She found a small stream and followed it up hill, knowing the real source would be bigger and waiting for her. It took her a few hours to finally track it, but when she did her eyes had widened. What she had discovered wasn't what she had been expecting.

"A dam," she mumbled to herself as she blinked, staring at the large cement wall. She blinked, but she stiffened as she felt the cool tip of a spear at the base of her back. She closed her eyes as she heard a sorrowful voice from behind her.

"District 4."

"…My name's Annie," she mumbled meekly as the man holding the weapon to her back stared at her with a soft gaze.

"…Annie."

The two stood in a stiff silence before the mentally wounded girl spoke up. "Where are the others?"

"Back at the camp."

"So you came to finish the job yourself?"

"It seems that way, doesn't it?" the built sixteen year old stated as he kept his stone-like expression on his face. Annie smiled slightly before she began to chuckle, her chuckling turning to giggling which then shifted into a fit of laughter. The black haired girl laughed hysterically as the boy from District 1 raised a brow, taking a step back. Her reaction was the last thing he had expected, but what could someone expect from someone who had lost sight of what was real and what was not?

"This is all just…" The sound of something breaking caught Annie's attention. She blinked before she slowly looked up at the dam. She stared at it, the Career doing the same thing. They glanced at each other before the sound of stone cracking made them jump. A low rumbling sound resonated through the air as Annie slowly looked down at her feet. Her pupils shrunk as the tiny stream she had been following grew into something bigger.

"Run."

"What?"

"RUN!" Annie screamed as she turned and began to sprint down the hill. The dirty blond quickly did as the other girl did, neither looking back. They both knew what was happening; the dam was breaking.

The two made sure to sprint as fast as their weary feet could take them, the cracking of the dam echoing throughout the entire dome. They didn't bother looking back as the sound of waves crashing against the forest floor followed closely behind them. Annie did her best to concentrate on running as she listened to the sound of her heartbeat. She concentrated on keeping her breathing steady as she squeezed to the pearl in her hand. She closed her eyes for a second as she envisioned Finnick standing in front of her, a smirk across his lips.

_Come back to me._

"I'm coming!" she whispered as she opened her eyes, the green shining brightly. She glanced back and her eyes widened as she watched the waves of the water rage toward them.

"Faster!" she screamed as the Career ran beside her. The two approached the bottom of the hill, the other two Careers standing to their feet with confusion. Their eyes widened as they watched the dam water wash toward them. "Run!" the leader of the group yelled frantically as he motioned for them to move forward. One followed after the two leaders, the other in too much shock to run. He was lost in the waves. Everyone ignored the cannon shot, running for their lives. There was no time to mourn for the dead, not when your life was on the line.

"Head to higher ground!" the Career shouted as Annie glanced at him. She held tightly to the pearl in her hand. She glanced at it but relaxed, deciding to let nature take its course. She nodded as the three ran up the hill. The waves caught up to them, and even if they had reached higher ground, it wouldn't have mattered.

The tributes lost their footing as the current took control. They thrashed through the water, rolling and slamming into the trees and bushes as the water whipped them around. Annie winced as she collided into a tree trunk. She had no time to react as the water pushed her away. She opened her eyes and immediately gained her control back. She aligned herself with the water and swam with the wave. She glanced around and her eyes softened as she watched the tribute from District 2 drown to death.

She then quickly pulled her pack around, keeping a tight hold on it. She pulled out some rope and strapped her bag back on her shoulder. She then tied a loop with the rope, glancing around. She swam up to the surface of the water and gasped, coughing and treading the water to the best of her abilities. She fought hard against the strong current that almost forced her back under the water. _Not like this! _she yelled in her head. She hooked her line on to a tree branch and sighed, relaxing slightly as she held to the rope. She took a deep breath, a larger wave coming and crashing over her head. She resurfaced and gasped, coughing once more.

"Ah!" Annie looked up and her eyes widened as she watched the leader of the Careers lashed out, arms flailing around, head bobbing in the water. She swam out as far as the end of her rope would let her as she reached her arm out. She swam against the current, waiting anxiously for the boy to sweep closer to her.

"Grab my hand!" she commanded as the Career looked over at her. He nodded and reached out, their hands locking to each other. Annie smiled as she held tightly. She stiffened slightly as the two looked up, the sound of the cannon filling the air. The two counted in their heads and their eyes widened.

They were the only tributes left.

The male tribute from District 1 slowly looked over at Annie as he glanced at their locked hands. He slowly met the black haired girl's gaze as she stared at him. She squeezed tightly to his hand as his eyes widened. "I won't let go."

She began to use her one hand on the rope and began to pull her and her companion toward the tree she was hooked to. She winced, her arms aching. It felt as if her body was being pulled apart, and the weight of the water and the boy in her grasp was becoming too much to bear, but she pushed on anyway. She released a pain-filled yell as she pulled. Her eyes widened as her grip on the rope slipped for a second. She squeezed tightly to her slick rope and took a few shaky breaths.

"Let go!" Annie blinked as she looked back at the Career she was trying to save. Her eyes widened as he smiled at her. "It's ok!"

"No! I'm not letting go!" she screamed over the loud crashes of the water. The boy shook his head as he looked deeply into the female's eyes.

"You have to!"

"No! We can make it!"

"You know that's not true." He could tell by the way the girl moved, the way she grimaced every time she pulled herself forward on the rope, if she didn't lose his extra weight they'd both be pulled under. Even if both did survive the flood, in the end, one of them would have to die.

He gave the girl an encouraging squeeze to the hand as he coughed, some water forcing its way into his mouth. "Don't worry. It'll be ok."

"No, it won't!" Annie snapped loudly as tears began to form in her eyes. The Career's eyes softened as he smiled. He caressed her hand with his thumb before he began to force his hand out of her grip. Annie's eyes widened as she tried to hold on, wincing as the water gave her a rough tug.

"Stop!" the girl yelled as she squeezed tightly to the Career's hand. He continued to pull away from her grasp as he smiled at her.

"You deserve to win!"

Annie's heart stopped. She stared with wide eyes as Marco's face replaced the Career's. She trembled as her breath got caught in the back of her throat. She choked on a sob as the boy smirked at her one last time.

"Axel. My name is Axel." And with that, Annie watched as his fingers slipped through hers. He disappeared under the water, never to resurface again. The girl blinked a few times as tears slid down her cheeks, mixing with the river water. She began to sob to herself as she pulled herself back to the tree trunk. She blinked a few times, trying to see through her tears, but only succeeded in bringing more tears about.

Suddenly, the branch holding Annie's weight broke off from the stable tree, causing the girl to swirl into the raging waves. She gasped, choking on the water. For a minute, she let herself get thrown around. She had lost all the energy to fight back and stay alive. What was her purpose? She couldn't remember anymore. All she could recall was Marco's head rolling down the hill, his blood gushing out from his neck. She could clearly remember the feeling of holding his decapitated head in her hands, and that was when she had decided to give up.

As her lungs began to burn and her eyes began to water-though it went unnoticed-Annie felt her head begin to spin. The energy in her body began to disappear as she let her eyes close. She heard the muffled sound of a cannon going off, and she had truly thought that it was for own lost life.

"_Didn't you say that you would come back to me?" _Annie blinked as she looked around and watched as a distant figure held a hand out to her. The burning disappeared and the ache in her head ceased to exist. A wide smile appeared across the tribute's lips as she laughed.

_Finnick! _

"_Now, instead of letting Marco's death go to waste-and everyone else's death for that matter-swim to the surface and keep that promise you made to me. How else would I ever get by without you by my side?"_

The crowds watched, nails being bitten and hearts stopping for a few seconds. Eyes watched intently as they waited for the sound of the cannon to fire. Perhaps there would be no winner this year, and that would be a first in the Hunger Game's history.

"No…" Finnick stood to his feet as he took a few steps toward the enlarged projection screen. He shook his head as his perfectly sculpted hands balled into fists. "No, no, no!" he snapped. People watched him intently as he paced back and forth, finally pulling his leg back and kicking the closest object. A few gasped, stepping back from the rather unstable man as he ran his hand through his silk-like hair.

"Finnick." He felt a hand gently take hold of his shoulder and he turned around. His eyes softened as he shook his head and relaxed. The old woman that had once tutored him for the games stared up at him with a sympathetic expression before she gave his shoulder as much of a squeeze as her frail body could make. She knew that the loss of Annie was more than just a loss of a tribute, a loss of a member to District 4. It was the loss of his love.

"Wait!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. Everyone blinked before turning to the screen. Their eyes widened as they watched a dark haired girl rise from the water, gasping and choking for a breath. She coughed continuously but ignored it as she used the remaining strength in her body to swim to the nearest object.

"She's alive!" a random woman exclaimed with a grin. "She won!" Cheers followed after as Mags and Finnick stared with wide eyes. Neither said anything as they watched Annie cough a few more times, spitting water out of her mouth. She took a few deep breaths as she hung limply on a branch. She closed her eyes and sighed as she held tightly, glad that she had been so experienced with fishing and the dangers of mother nature.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the 70th Hunger Game!" The room burst into cheers and joyful yells as the wealthy citizens of the Capitol began to clap and whistle for Annie Cresta. Finnick began to laugh as he grinned, wrapping his arms tightly around his previous mentor. He held her up and span her around as she held tightly to him, afraid she would break. He set her gently back on to her feet as he laughed and looked back to the screen.

"Congratulations, Annie."

* * *

She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious for. It felt like years, but it could've been just for a day, or for an hour. Hell! It could've actually been years, the young girl wouldn't have known noticed the difference.

Annie laid on her bed, and as time slowly passed her by, she could faintly hear voices around her, some unfamiliar and others ringing bells in her head.

"_Will she be alright?"_

"_She's…suffering."_

"_What the hell is that supposed to mean?"_

"_Now, now. There's no need to lose your temper."_

"_Listen here-"_

It was hard for Annie to tune into the voices. They would fade in and out whenever they chose to, and there wasn't anything she could possibly do to control it.

"_Boy, if you don't get any sleep, you'll start losing that charm the Capitol loves about you."_

_"I don't care-"_

"_Finnick."_

The 15 year old wanted nothing more than to get up and wrap her arms around her tutor, but her body wouldn't listen to her. So, instead of reassuring everyone that she was really alright, she continued to lay silently in her bed, hoping she'd come around.

Annie slowly began to blink, her eyes immediately closing. She winced, her eyes stinging from the light hanging above her head. She took a few minutes to recover before she tried to gain back her vision. Letting her retinas finally adjust to the scenery around her, the young lady found herself laying in a bed in a white room. Her clothes were completely gone, but any sort of wound or injury she once had was completely gone as well, much to her disbelief.

"…Hello?" Annie cautiously rose from the bed as she glanced around. She smiled, relieved to find a pair of clothes sitting on a small, white table in the corner of the room. She quickly pulled them, sporting the same clothes she had worn into the Hunger Games.

"Wait…I won…" Annie blinked a few times before her memory came rushing back to her. Running for her life, Marco dying, coming across the dam, even trying to save the Careers; she remembered everything.

She quickly pulled on her black boots before she walked toward the door. She stood in front of it for a moment before she smiled. She was ready to go home and see her family and forget about everything that had happened. She was ready to see her friends and she was ready to see Mags and Finnick.

Especially Finnick.

"Hello-" The door slid open for Annie, but as she stepped out of the room her eyes widened. She began to quiver as she looked around, taking in everything around her. Her jaw slightly ajar as she choked on her own breath.

"No." She was standing back in the dome that had trapped her, the very same dome she had almost died in. "No!" she yelled as she took a few steps forward. She looked around, everything looking exactly as it had when she first took refuge in the trees. She span around to where the room she had come out from was. Her eyes widened as she found herself staring at a clearing, the meadow only bringing back terrible memories.

"No!" she screamed as she fell to her knees. She shook her head as frustrated and scared tears began to form in her eyes. She began to sob as she closed her hand into a fist, grabbing a handful of grass and dirt. She shook her head and slowly looked up.

"Why are you doing this?" she screamed out as she looked around the sunny sky. "What's the point?" She had won. All winners got to go home to their families, that's how every game worked.

"Let me go!"

"Annie!" Said girl froze as she slowly turned around. She stumbled to her feet as she gapped at the person standing in front of her.

"Ma-Marco?" she barely squeaked out as the young man smiled at her. He stood a few yards away as they stared at each other. "…You're…You're alive?"

"What are you talking about? Of course-"

"Marco!" Annie yelled out as the boy turned around. He released a surprised scream, but it was cut short by the fact that a long, sharpened sword sliced through his neck. Annie watched with a terrified expression as the boy's body tumbled to the ground, his head rolling down his back and facing her. She screamed as he stared at her with wide eyes, a trail of blood leaking down from his lips.

"Annie." The tribute of District 4 shakily looked up, meeting a pair of blue eyes. She shook uncontrollably and fell to her knees, having no strength to hold herself up. She watched as the leader of the Careers, Axel, made his way toward her. She stared up at him as his stoic expression disappeared, a relaxed smile appearing instead.

"Win." The girl stared at him with a confused expression. Her ears tensed up as she glanced around District 1's tribute. Her eyes widened.

"Axel! The water-"

"You deserve to win."

"Axel!"

Annie wasn't sure what was happening anymore. She was being engulfed by the water of the dam, but she could still breathe. Then she blinked a few times and she was no longer drowning. She was staring up at a white ceiling, but what really surprised her was the sound of her own shrill scream she was releasing without even knowing it.

"Annie, calm down! It's alright! You're safe!"

"NO!" she shrieked, her mind switching to full panic mode. She flailed around as she began to notice the many hands holding her down to the bed. She continued to scream as she blinked again, only this time she was covered in blood. A horrified look came over her as she looked up and stared at Marco's decapitated body standing at the end of her bed. He held his head at his side, his unattached head smiling at her.

"OH GOD! SOMEBODY!" she screeched, trying to push herself away from the body. "Help me!"

"Move!" a familiar voice called out aggressively. Immediately, Annie began to relax, searching for the owner of the deep voice she loved.

"Finnick?"

"Annie!"

"Finnick!" she yelled as she began to try and fight off the Capitol doctors, she could only assume that is. She tensed up as she felt a warm hand cup her cheek. She relaxed and tears began to well up in her eyes as she looked up and smiled. Her mentor released a relieved laugh as he caressed her cheek. His other hand held tightly to her hand as he smiled down at her.

"Didn't I tell you, I'd be waiting for you."

"I-" Annie's eyes widened as she watched a figure approach the 22 year old from behind, a long knife it their hand. She watched in terror as the stranger raised the blade up in the air.

"Finnick! Watch out!" she yelled, surprising everyone in the room. Said young man raised a brow as he looked over his shoulder, finding only the empty space of the room. He looked back at the frightened girl with confusion.

"Annie, there's no one there. It's just me," he said soothingly as she shook her head, not meeting his gaze, just staring over his shoulder.

"He's right there! He's going to hurt you!"

"Annie, I promise, it's just-" Finnick was shoved back, losing the warmth of Annie's hand. He released an irritated grunt as he stumbled back a bit.

"Hey! Let me-"

"Take her."

"Hey!" the attractive man snapped as he approached the doctor in charge. "Where the hell do you think you're taking her?"

"She's clearly not in a stable state of mind to be around anyone. She suffering from psychological trauma. She needs to be taken care of immediately."

Without a chance to say anything, Finnick watched helplessly as the winner of the 70th Hunger Game was wheeled away on her stretcher, her screams resounding in the almost empty room. He stood there for a moment as her pain-filled screams rang in his ears. He closed his eyes before releasing a loud and aggressive scream, punching the nearest wall.

Annie Cresta had won the Hunger Game, but at what cost?

* * *

Finnick Odair was in love.

He had never met anyone like Annie Cresta in his entire life. She had moved his heart in ways that no one else had done. She made his heart skip beats and she brought about a sort of smile that no one else had ever seen until he had met her. She was everything he could ever ask for in a woman and in a person.

"Finnick, get sleep." Said man looked over his shoulder and smiled as the older woman made her way into the small room.

Annie Cresta, the winner of the 70th Hunger Game was now living in the home of all winners. She was better off than many other districts, like 11 or 12, but the luxuries of being a winner of the Hunger Games was something else. She and her family lived without having to worry about finances period, and everyone was happy.

Almost.

Mags and Finnick stiffened as Annie gasped, jerking awake. The young man immediately turned his full attention to the girl as he gently shushed her, cooing her. "Annie, it's alright. Everything's alright."

"F-Finnick? Mags?"

"We're both right here, honey," the 76 year old reassure the girl with a smile as Annie relaxed. She released a sigh as she laid back down in her bed.

It was like that every morning and night. Annie would wake up from a nightmare, confused on the difference between reality and fiction. She sometimes woke up in tears and in a screaming fit, but he was always there to calm her down; Finnick was always at her side. There was no one else that could reach the girl's distant mind and distant heart, not like he could. Not even her family could understand what their daughter was going through, how could they? Only those who ever participated in the treacherousness of the games could come close to understanding, and even then it was difficult.

"Marco was here, and then Axel-"

"I know, it's ok, Annie. You're fine now. See?" Finnick motioned to the well decorated room that belonged to the girl. "You're in your room. The game's over."

"…It's over." the dark haired girl repeated. Finnick smiled hopefully as he nodded.

"It's done," he reassured.

Mags watched with a gentle gaze as she frowned, Annie, trembling from the nightmare she must've had. The older woman shook her head as she quietly excused herself from the room. She stood in the doorway for a minute before she looked back and watched the two. She smiled slightly as she watched her two previous pupils converse, wide smiles on their faces. Her eyes drifted to the pearl sitting happily on Annie's nightstand and her smile widened a bit.

It was amazing how powerful love could truly be.

She took one last glance back before she exited the room, leaving Finnick and Annie to themselves. They talked for hours, ignoring the world around them; it was like they were the only people that existed. Laughter filled the room as Finnick latched on to the small amount of hope he had for his beloved. He held tightly to her hand, their fingers interlocked together.

He planned to hold that hand until the end of time.

And so he did.


End file.
